1 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shelves or racks for the presentation of food items to consumers. More specifically, the present invention relates to an adjustable gravity feed display rack, preferably for various sized spice containers.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Several types of display racks are known in the prior art. A particular feature of these display racks is that they are "self-fronting". Self-fronting refers to shelves which cause items on a shelf to be moved forward toward the front of the shelf. To the consumer, this presents an image of a full, well-stocked shelf of uniform arrangement. Studies have shown that consumers are more apt to purchase a product from a shelf that appears uniform and fully stocked because the items thereon are perceived as being fresher. To maintain a uniform shelf with all food items presented at the front of the shelf would require constant attention by store personnel. To alleviate such attention, self-fronting shelves have been devised which send the remaining items to the front of the shelf.
Two primary methods of producing self-fronting shelves are (1) using gravity or (2) a spring mechanism to move shelf items forward. A spring is primarily used when the items to be "fronted" are light weight and suffer substantial friction, such that the use of mere gravity would be inappropriate. Mechanical springs, however, induce several drawbacks. One drawback is that the springs introduce an additional part, which means one more part which can break and need replacing A second shortcoming is that springs are an additional cost not present in gravity feed systems.
Gravity feed self-fronting shelves have had wide application. They are often made of a metal structure, e.g., for milk bottles at dairies, or spices and other bottled products, and in one-piece, plastic extrusion for gum and miscellaneous items at convenience stores. A significant problem with the metal shelves or the one-piece plastic extrusions is that they are essentially rigid structures which provide no flexibility for varying sized products or varying quantities of products. Therefore, a need has arisen to create a gravity feed display rack which is adjustable to accommodate varying size products and varying quantities of product.